No Greater Love
by Veranda
Summary: One digidestined reflects on the life of another. More to be revealed in the next part... please read and review
1. Prologue

No Greater Love prologue  
a/n: This fic was inspired by the movie Gladiator. If you've seen it, you might be able to tell how. Maybe not. Either way, I feel like I need to write it, and it may be a bit depressing, but I suppose that's the general idea. I know this part is REALLY short, but it's just the prologue. I'll have more out soon, but I thought this part deserved to be by itself. (the title will be explained later on) Please read and review, and enjoy my fic.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
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Why?   
When bad things happen to people, or when things aren't going their way, that always seems to be their first question. "Why did it have to be me? Why did this happen to us?"  
Some people think they have the answer to this question. "It's destiny." They explain. "It's fate." I used to believe in destiny. I used to believe in a lot of things that seem meaningless to me now.  
Once…so long ago now that I hardly remember…I believed in destiny. I also believed that a group of kids could save the world. Save the world and all live to tell about it. It's funny, you know, how your entire view on life can change in one horrible moment.  
Suddenly, everything you believed in was wrong. Everything you believed in was a lie. How could one event effect me so much? One event? No…one person.  
I admire him for what he did. Still, at the same time, I hate him for it. How can you hate the only reason you're still alive? Easy. He knew what he was getting into. He knew he wasn't going to be getting out of it. He still went. He did it for us.   
I admire his courage, his strength, his determination. I miss him more than he could ever know. I know that no one could have changed his mind. I wish someone had. Do you know what he told us? He said, "Don't be sorry."   
How can we not be sorry? How can we not blame ourselves when we know that it is because of us that we will never see him again? He had so much to live for, and we took that away from him. He threw it away for us.   
And so I am brought back to my original question, which I do not have an answer to, and do not pretend to have an answer to.  
Why?  
Why did it have to be him?   
Why did you leave us?  
Why?  
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a/n: Okay, that came out well. Actually pretty close to what I was aiming for. Give me a few days and I'll have more. I hope you liked it.  
  
Readers of "I Never Told You": I am putting that fic on hold for a few days, but I'll try to have the next part out by Friday at the latest. Sorry for the wait…  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!  
  



	2. Premonition

No Greater Love part 1  
  
A/n: Hi everyone! I have a big announcement! My ff.net one-year anniversary is in exactly 7 days. Annnddddd……in loving appreciation of all of my reviewers, I'm doing an 7-day Digi-fic-a-thon. *dull applause* Gee….thanks guys. Either way, many of my most anticipated fics will be posted over the next few days, including the first part of a surprise masterpiece I've been slaving away at getting done for a month or so. So sit back and enjoy the show (and review of course!) Sorry about the long wait, but here you have it! Better late than never!  
  
Dedication: This fic is dedicated to daisukefire, who I have recently come to admire a great deal. Keep up the hard work, Dais!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon…  
  
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It was cold. And not the kind of cold you feel on a bright winter's day when the snow is sparkling and your cheeks are flushed pink. It was the kind of bone chilling cold that you feel when you've just woken up from a nightmare. The cold that settles in the pit of your stomach and makes you want to scream.  
  
Judgment day was at hand. The time of reckoning was upon them. Eternity rested on this single moment in time. It was the beginning and the end. And they knew it. The digidestined.  
  
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"Tai, will you please stop pacing like that? You're going to leave a hole in the carpet." Sora snapped irritably. The young man sent her a withering glare, but stopped even so, perching uneasily on the edge of a nearby table.  
  
The digidestined, new and old, were gathered there. Tai had asked them all to meet at his house, his only reason being that, "Something is wrong."  
  
So there they all were, silent and waiting for someone to start the inevitable conversation.  
  
"I know you all feel it." All eyes turned to Joe, who had been the first to speak. Once he had their attention, he continued, "I can see it in your eyes, Matt. You're afraid. But you don't know why."  
  
Matt tore his eyes away from Joe's penetrating stare and gazed at the floor, "I've got a bad feeling."  
  
Kai took the opportunity to speak up, "I wake up screaming and I don't know why. And my headaches have gotten so bad…"  
  
Tai caught his sister's eye briefly before stating, "Listen up, you guys. I know this has something to do with the digital world. There's something seriously wrong. Something big is coming."  
  
Davis shivered slightly upon hearing this, "But what? How do we defend ourselves from something we know nothing about?"  
  
Tai sighed heavily. The effects of being forced to grow up too fast were evident in his features. His eyes were tired, and they could all tell he hadn't been sleeping, "I don't know."  
  
Izzy looked up from his computer, "I have the gate open, Tai. What should we do?"  
  
Tai looked at Matt, his eyes pleading. Everyone watched the silent exchange between the two friends. Matt's sapphire blue eyes calculating, Tai's expression determined. Matt nodded his head slightly.   
  
Tai turned to face Izzy, "Close the gate."  
  
Cody stood up suddenly, changed greatly from the boy he once was, "What? If something is wrong in the Digital World, we need to do something right away!"  
  
Sora's ruby eyes flashed, "No! This is going to be worse than anything we've ever faced before. Haven't you all noticed how cold it's gotten? How dark it looks, even when the sun is shining? We need to be ready."  
  
Tai gave her an appreciative smile, then closed his eyes momentarily, "We leave tomorrow at noon. Get everything you need. Be here by eleven o'clock."  
  
Many silent nods could be seen as the closely knit group of friends, forced together my an unmerciful act of fate, slowly went their own ways, the weight of the knowledge they possessed weighing heavily on their shoulders. Soon only Kari and Tai were left in the room, alone in the silence.  
  
"Tai, I don't want you to go." Kari said suddenly, surprising her older brother.  
  
"What are you talking about, Kari? I have to go!" Tai exclaimed, "I'm the leader. I can't just desert you guys."  
  
"Tai something bad is going to happen. Please don't go." Kari pleaded softly, tears forming in her eyes. Noticing how upset she was, Tai got up from his seat on the table and walked over to her, enfolding her in a comforting hug.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about me Kari. We're all in this together, and I'll be there for you guys to the end." Tai said with conviction, "I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
Kari pulled back from her brother's embrace and looked him right in the eyes, "Tai, you know it's not me I'm worried about."  
  
Tai kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "And you know I can't stay."  
  
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a/n: Ok, I know it was short, but it had to be ended right there. Didn't want to ruin the moment. I'll be coming out with the next chapter of this fic in 2 weeks or so. In the meantime, check back tomorrow for another fic from me!  
  
NOTE: My pen name will be changed to Veranda in 7 days.   



	3. Gatherings

No Greater Love part 2  
  
a/n: Well, for once, I don't have much to say..... *laughs*. Just read and enjoy! And feel free to e-mail me...I'm always happy to hear from people! Oh, wait, there is one thing. (sorry...) This takes place a few years after season 2. It may not tie in with everything that has happened, but it's not really meant to. Not everything is fully explained. I'm leaving a bit to the imagination....  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
Dedication: This fic is dedicated to AmericanMercury. You absolutely have to read her fics! ;)  
  
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It was so dark....so cold....and she was alone. She waited silently, willing the sun to rise. Waiting for someone, anyone, to show her a way out. And then she heard it.  
  
"So...you are the Child of Light." The voice alone sent a shiver up her spine. It came from everywhere, echoing off walls hidden in shadows.  
  
"Who are you?" She heard her voice call, "Why am I here?"  
  
"You will know when the time is right. You will understand everything, and when you do...you will wish you had never asked." The voice came again. It was a mere whisper now. A reminder of the terror of moments passed.  
  
"If you won't answer my questions, then let me go." She demanded, more forceful than she felt. Immediately the cold intensified, leading the young girl to wrap her arms tightly around her small frame. She could feel it's anger.  
  
"You dare to speak to me as if you are the master!" The terrible voice no longer whispered. It yelled. It boomed like thunder, "You will regret this day. You will regret it all."  
  
"I don't understand." She whispered.  
  
"You will understand when you see them falling one by one." The voice took on a longing tone, tainted with evil, "You will watch as all their battles, all their struggles, come down to one final moment."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You already know." The walls shook, the floor shuddered. She knew.  
  
"Don't hurt them." The Child of Light lashed out, "Don't even think of hurting them, because I swear, I will make sure you regret it all your life."  
  
The harshest of laughter invaded her brain, and she felt her hands fly to her head, her knees hit the floor, "You have no idea, do you? You don't know what you're messing with. I will enjoy watching you die."  
  
"I don't care who you are." She cried out, head throbbing, "I won't let you hurt them!"  
  
She waited for an answer, but none came. Instead, a new sound reached her ears. It started a whisper, climbing in volume, cutting through her very core. She could hear their voices. The voices of those she had spent so much of her life with. The voices of the destined, the guardians. Her best friends. Her family.  
  
Cries of pain. Shouts of agony. Laughter. Dark, evil laughter ripping through her soul.  
  
"STOP!" She screamed finally, hands clamped over her ears. She could still hear them. The voices were inside of her, "Please stop! Just leave them alone!"  
  
And suddenly, there was only silence. Once again the world was cold and dark. All she knew was their pain, and all she felt was fear. She was alone.  
  
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Hikari Kamiya shot upright in bed, breathing heavily. Swallowing the scream that was trying to force it's way out of her throat, she raised a slender hand to wipe away the beads of cold sweat collecting on her forehead.   
  
"Just a dream." She whispered, not quite convinced that it was a dream at all. Gripping the edges of the bed, she peeked down at the bottom bunk where her brother slept. The sheets were a knotted mess, the majority of them on the floor, but Tai was nowhere to be seen.  
  
A moment of panic gripped her, and for a few terrifying seconds, she feared the worst. However, the moment passed, and she shook her head, "I'm losing my mind."  
  
Throwing off her covers, Kari climbed down the ladder to the floor. Glancing at the clock on her way out the bedroom door, she mentally noted the time. Three am.  
  
"What on earth is Tai doing up at this time of the morning?"She wondered aloud. her question was answered moments later when she noticed the light shining from under the door of her father's office. Striding over and opening the door slowly, she stole a glance inside the small room.  
  
Tai was pacing back and forth slowly, digivice gripped firmly in one hand, a worried expression accenting his features. It was a look Kari had become quite accustomed to seeing, along with the dark circles under his eyes.  
  
"Tai?" She called softly, getting his attention. The young man jumped slightly upon hearing her voice, spinning around to face her.  
  
"Oh, Kari, it's just you...." He said absently, "You startled me."  
  
"What are you doing up?" She asked, ignoring his comment.  
  
Tai sighed heavily, "I couldn't sleep if I wanted to."  
  
"Tai it's three in the morning." Kari said desperately, "We are going to the digiworld in nine hours! You need to sleep."  
  
Tai gave her an annoyed look, "What about you? Why aren't you sleeping?"  
  
Kari looked at her bare feet, feeling slightly foolish, "Nightmare."  
  
Tai's features softened, "Do you want to tell me about it?"  
  
She shook her head, "I....I can't remember much of it."   
  
Tai narrowed his chocolate brown eyes, "You're lying, Kari."  
  
Kari laughed, "You always did know me inside out, brother."  
  
Tai nodded, a shadow of his old smile playing across his face. Kari frowned, "Tai, what are you so afraid of?"  
  
Tai raised his eyes to meet his sister's worried gaze. She watched him hesitate, not wanting to reveal the slightest weakness. When he spoke, his answer revealed less even than the question, "I don't know."  
  
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Taking one last glance over his shoulder at his apartment building, Ken Ichijouji shifted his backpack strap on his shoulder and walked away. He had left a note for his parents telling them that he had to go to the Digiworld, and that he didn't know when he'd be back. He knew his mother would be worried sick, and his father would be less than enthusiastic, but he had no choice. If he told them, they might now let him go. And he couldn't stay behind. He was Digidestined.  
  
Walking along the busy Odaiba streets, Ken found himself so lost in thought, that it took a few moments for a familiar voice to catch his attention, "Ken!!! Hey Ken?! KEN!!!!"  
  
"Huh?" The former Digimon Emperor looked up suddenly, searching for the source of the voice. It didn't take him long to find it.  
  
Davis Motomiya stood some twenty feet ahead of him on the street, waving his arms wildly. When Ken finally noticed him, he dropped his wind milling arms to his sides and rolled his eyes.  
  
Ken smiled faintly and walked over to his goggle wearing friend, "Good morning Davis."  
  
"What planet were you on?" The brown haired teenager vented immediately, "Jeez! I mean, what do I have to do? Drop a bomb directly next to you? Yeah, that might have......."  
  
Davis stopped in the middle of his sentence, glancing sideways at his blue haired friend. He had a far off look in his eyes, and obviously wasn't paying attention to a single thing Davis said, "Oh.......never mind."  
  
Ever since Ken had moved to Odaiba, his parents wanting to get him away from the bad memories their old house held, he and Davis had become even closer friends. And though he had matured somewhat over time, Davis still lapsed back to hyper 12 year old every now and then. Apparently the thought of going back to the Digiworld had sparked something in him.  
  
Ken smirked slightly at this thought as he and Davis took the elevator up to the Kamiya apartment. Before long, they were standing at the door, waiting for an answer to their knock. Moments later the door opened, revealing the smiling face of Kari Kamiya.  
  
"Hey Kari." The two said in unison, stepping inside.  
  
"Hi Ken." The brown haired girl said in her usual cheerful voice. Davis' face fell slightly. Kari shook her head and laughed softly as she added, "Glad to see you Davis."  
  
Ken rolled his eyes and walked into the living room, looking around to see who else was there. Izzy was at the kitchen table typing away on his laptop, as usual. Mimi and Matt were sitting nearby him, talking quietly. TK was getting himself a glass of water in the kitchen while chatting with Cody, who seemed extremely nervous about the entire situation.  
  
Joe was digging through a large white bag with a red cross on it, and Ken could hear him muttering various things under his breath in a slightly frantic tone. Finally he noticed Yolei, who was sitting alone on the couch, staring at her hands. Walking over to her, he cleared his throat to get her attention.  
  
"Ken!" The purple haired girl said in a surprised voice.  
  
A smile formed on his lips, unbidden, and he asked, "Is this seat taken?" Nodding toward the spot next to her on the couch.  
  
Yolei shook her head, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. Ken pretended not to notice as he sat down next to her, "Thanks."   
  
Just then, Davis and Kari walked into the room, the latter glancing toward the kitchen where TK stood, watching the two of them. Ken glanced up in time to see Kari wink at TK, who smiled back. Davis didn't appear to have noticed, but Ken knew he had.   
  
"Hey Kari?" Davis asked suddenly, sitting down on the couch next to Ken, "Where are Tai and Sora?"  
  
Ken looked around quickly, wondering how on earth he'd missed the fact that they weren't there. A pensive look crossed Kari's face as she answered, "Well, I'm not sure where Sora is."  
  
"But Tai..." A mischievous smile took the place of her frown, "He's still asleep."  
  
Matt raised an eyebrow, "I thought Tai had decided never to sleep again..."  
  
This comment resulted in a few laughs around the room before Kari answered, "Well, he was still up at three this morning, and he had his alarm set for five..." She paused to roll her eyes, "So I turned off his alarm."  
  
"Apparently he was more tired than he thought." Yolei said, "It's already 11:30."  
  
Kari nodded and opened her mouth to say something when she was cut off by the sound of the apartment's front door opening and closing quickly. Everyone's turned to see who had come in, and no one was remotely surprised to discover that it was Sora. She looked slightly disheveled, and the was breathing a bit harder than normal, suggesting that she had been running.  
  
"Am I late?" She asked glancing around quickly. Before anyone could answer, she added, "Where's Tai?"  
  
Matt laughed softly and gestured toward the one empty chair at the kitchen table, "You're not late. We still have half an hour..."  
  
Sora relaxed visibly upon hearing this and sank into the chair next to Matt, "Well, that's a relief. When I saw Davis here I thought I was late for sure!"  
  
Mimi laughed, and Izzy looked up from his laptop long enough to say, "Not a bad assumption..."  
  
Sora smiled momentarily before looking around pointedly. Matt caught on and explained, "Tai's still asleep."  
  
Sora's eyebrows shot up, "Tai sleeps?"  
  
Matt let out a short laugh, "Yeah, that's what I said."  
  
"Kari turned off his alarm so he would sleep." Mimi stated, an excited sparkle in her eye, "I can't wait to hear his reaction."  
  
Kari turned her head toward her three fellow Digidestined, having caught the mention of her name in their conversation. Nodding thoughtfully she looked at her watch and said, "Yeah, it is about time I woke him up."  
  
All eyes were on the slender Kamiya girl as she walked toward her brother's door, unable to conceal a small grin. Not bothering to knock, she opened the door and walked inside. Tai was sleeping peacefully, and for a split second, Kari considered letting him stay that way. If he doesn't wake up, if he stays behind, will he be ok? The thought ran through her mind over and over. But in the end, she knew what she had to do.  
  
Tai was the leader. He was the one who had held them together for all those years. He had to be there, as much as Kari wanted him to stay behind. She sat down on the corner of his bed with a sigh, reaching one hand out to touch his shoulder, "Tai?"  
  
Tai groaned and rolled over, shrugging off her hand. Kari smiled softly an tried again, "Tai, it's time to go."  
  
The brown haired young man opened his eyes slowly and yawned, "Kari? What time is it?"  
  
"It's 11:45" She stated matter-of-factly, waiting for the explosion. She didn't have to wait long.  
  
"WHAT?" Tai bellowed, leaping out of the bed and grabbing his alarm off a nearby table, "I set my alarm! I should have been up at five."  
  
Kari stared at her brother, listening absently to giggles coming from the other room, "Tai, you are out of your mind."  
  
She waited for this comment to sink in before continuing, "Now, listen to me. We are going to the Digiworld today, and it is entirely possible that all of us won't be coming back.  
  
Tai's expression turned slightly angry and he started, "Now, Kari-"  
  
"No, Tai!" She cut him off, "You have to listen to me! You need to face the facts. This is different than anything we've faced before. Tai, I've talked to him. I've seen him in my dreams. This is no evil Digimon. This is something much more."  
  
Kari watched Tai's expression change from anger to shock, and noted the tangible silence coming from the others. They hadn't missed a word, and it was too late to stop now, "Now, I turned off your alarm for a reason. I'm worried about you, Tai! All I wanted was for you to sleep just this one night, ok? We're all going to need you more than ever before this time."  
  
Tai stared at his feet for a moment before meeting his sister's gaze, and when she saw the look in his eyes, she knew she could count on him. The former desperation was gone, and a new, stronger determination was evident. She knew he understood. Tai was back.  
  
Kari smiled, "I'll let you get dressed."  
  
The whole group watched Kari leave Tai's room, shutting the door behind her. She caught Izzy's eye, and he nodded, typing furiously on Tai's father's computer. The large machine had been moved into the living room so that it could be used for a gate. The laptop was coming along for the ride.  
  
Within moments, the redhead had the gate open, and he looked up just in time to see Tai emerge from his room, backpack slung over his shoulder, blue band tied around his head. He had an excited sparkle in his eyes, and a playful smile sprawled across his face, "Alright, guys. Time to save the world..."  
  
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a/n: Another chapter finally finished! Hurray! Please review and tell me what you think! I'll try to get part 3 out soon, but I don't know when I'll get a chance to write it. In the meantime, look for a new fic from me, "In Good Hands".  
  
~Vera 


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